Every Dragon Has a Heart
by shizzical
Summary: No one besides Mokuba ever realized Seto Kaiba had a heart... until Serenity came along. But will their love prosper as Joey and Tristan try to break them apart? SetoxSerenity with JoeyxMai *My goal is 10 reviews after every new chapter! R&R plz!*
1. Strange Feelings

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
  
"Come on, sis!"  
  
"All right Joey, just a second!" Serenity yelled to her excited brother, Joseph. She ran out of her room and gave him a hug. Yesterday, she had gotten her eye operation done. She looked up at him with her soft amber eyes.   
  
"So when are we leaving?"  
  
Joey smiled. Serenity had been waiting for this day for a long time... the day she was going to meet Joey's friends. She had heard so much about them. There was Yugi, a kind-hearted boy who had a heart of gold. He had apparently *helped* Tristan teach Joey Duel Monsters. Then, of course, there was Tristan. Serenity knew Tristan since he had visited her in the hospital so much. He taught Joey all about dueling (yeah right...). And Tea... Joey said she was so nice and would do anything to help her friends. 'Just the kind of friend I need...' thought Serenity happily. And there was Bakura, quiet and shy, he was always ready to lend a helping hand. And Joey had told Serenity about Mai, the pretty blonde girl he liked. Serenity secretly made it her goal to get the two together... 'Joey has so many wonderful friends!' thought Serenity as she walked down to the Game Shop with her brother. She sighed with happiness as she looked at her surroundings. The city of Domino was so beautiful in the springtime. It was romantic, with a light breeze. For a small second, Serenity wished she was walking with a handsome guy instead of her brother.  
  
Suddenly, her eyes wondered to a tall building that loomed awkwardly above the trees and houses. It looked cold and uninviting. She shivered as she looked deeper into it. Who could possibly work in such a place? It made the quiet and peaceful town look strange. "Joey... what's that building?" Serenity asked her brother.  
  
"Oh... that's Kaiba Corporation."  
  
"Kaiba... that name sounds familiar..."  
  
"Yeah... the guy who owns it... the CEO... he's Seto Kaiba. That arrogant, rich snob I told you about. The one who makes fun of me..."  
  
"Oh Joey! Don't call him those names. It's a bit rude... especially since he's such an important person in society."  
  
"Serenity... he calls me rude names every day!"  
  
"Well, Joey... don't start anything with him... he doesn't sound like the kind of person to mess with!"  
  
Joey smiled and stroked his sister's long brown hair playfully. "Yeah, you can say that again." The two siblings arrived at the Game Shop and walked in.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Mr. Kaiba?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Mr. Kaiba... you've been working for hours... nonstop! Take a break! You really shouldn't be working this hard!"  
  
"Don't be silly... I am doing my job!" Seto Kaiba looked up at his secretary who stared back at him defiantly.  
  
"Mr. Kaiba... please take a break. Go walk around town... get a little air. I can finish that report for you... it's my job anyway!"  
  
"Fine..." said Kaiba with a grunt. He picked up his briefcase and left, straightening his collar at the same time.  
  
"Oh... Ms. Matsuri?"  
  
His secretary stopped typing in order to listen to him.  
  
"If Mokuba calls, tell him I will be at the Game Shop."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"So Serenity... have you ever dueled before?" Yugi asked Serenity. The gang was seated around her, eager to learn about their new friend.  
  
"Well... I can't say I have. Especially since I could barely see before my operation yesterday."  
  
An uncomfortable silence followed. Serenity blushed, realizing they weren't used to talking to people who had narrowly missed losing their eye sight. "Oh... it wasn't that bad, you know!"  
  
"Oh." said Tea quietly.  
  
"So Serenity? Would you like to learn how to duel? I could give you some cards. I am sure my grandpa would let me."  
  
"That would be great Yugi!" Serenity waited patiently, while Yugi got some cards.  
  
Tristan was too caught up staring at her to suggest helping teach Serenity Duel Monsters. 'She has the nicest eyes. And she's so kind!' He gazed at her with admiration.  
  
Serenity noticed he was looking at her and smiled. "Oh Tristan... you're making me blush!"  
  
Tristan turned red and stopped staring at her. But he still did glance at her occasionally.  
  
"Okay," said Yugi kindly, "These are duel monsters. Pick out some and you can keep them!"  
  
Serenity looked at the cards with interest and curiosity. Some of them looked so gruesome that she wouldn't dare touch them. Yet some of them looked so harmless and adorable. She picked out a few that she thought were nice, ignoring the playful sniggers coming from her brother. "I wouldn't pick those Serenity... they're so weak."  
  
Serenity laughed with her brother. "Well Joey, I don't intend to do any REAL damage with them." Suddenly she stopped laughing and listened as the door to the Game Shop opened. In walked a tall boy with brown hair, blue eyes, and a large silver briefcase. He was wearing a long, purple trenchcoat and black leather pants. (((A/N Think of the Ishizu episode...))) Serenity looked at this new arrival with interest. He looked tired but arrogant. He stood stiffly, as if not wanting to make himself comfortable. He glared at the group, suddenly pausing as he noticed her new face.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Joey stood up protectively. "THAT is MY sister, Serenity, and if you lay a finger on her I'll eliminate you."  
  
Kaiba laughed at his pathetic, defensive threat. "I wasn't planning to do anything to her, puppy dog." He walked over to where the group was seated. "So I see Serenity's learning Duel Monsters, eh." He smiled arrogantly, trying to show Serenity that he, Seto Kaiba, was a much better duelist then she'd ever be.  
  
He was stunned by the reaction Serenity gave him. Instead of angrily telling him off, like anyone else would, she smiled sweetly at him. "Yeah, I'm learning, but I doubt I'll get anywhere. Yugi is a great duelist, but even he can't make me understand such a complex game. You must be Seto."  
  
Kaiba looked at her curiously. "Seto?"  
  
"That IS your name, right?"  
  
"Yeah... my name is Seto..."  
  
"I thought so. I have heard so much about you..."  
  
Joey stared at his sister, hoping she wouldn't say anything she'd regret. Yet he also smiled, realizing how truly kind his sister really was. If she could act so nice to a loser like Kaiba, she had to be one of the nicest girls on the planet.  
  
Kaiba was having similar thoughts. 'Serenity... she seems so kind... I never knew anyone could be so gently. I don't want to touch her because she is so delicate and would probably break! And she is rather pretty.'  
  
"Why did you come here, Kaiba?" asked Yugi.  
  
"I wanted to get some new cards for my little brother. He is participating in a little dueling tournament at his school."  
  
"I guess it runs in the family!" said Serenity, smiling angelically.  
  
"I guess so..." replied Seto, looking into her amber eyes. Suddenly he got up. He quickly purchased some cards and opened the door. "Bye Serenity!" he said as he walked on to the street.  
  
"Bye Seto..." called Serenity after him, too caught up in a feeling of love to notice the suspicious looks the others were giving her. 


	2. Mixed Emotions

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
"But Joey!"  
  
"No Serenity... that guy's BAD NEWS! I can't have you being to nice to him. After all he's done to me... look, I know you meant well. But you CAN'T!"  
  
Serenity ran to her room crying. She knew that Joey was just trying to be a good brother, but there was just something about Seto... She had felt so strange around him... And now Joey didn't want her talking to him! How could she live without that Kaiba guy... he was so... so... Serenity sobbed into her pillow.   
  
Her brother listened outside her door, his heart feeling heavy, but he wouldn't change his mind. His little sister was going to stay as far away from Kaiba as possible. And he was gonna make sure of it... Sure, Kaiba might not even LIKE Serenity. He wasn't the kind of person who fell in love with sweet and soft-hearted girls when he first met them... Joey comforted himself, assuring himself that Kaiba was not gonna come within a foot of Serenity.  
  
The next day, Serenity got ready to go to school with Joey. She was new to the school, so he was planning to show her around. She dressed in the tight pink blouse and short blue skirt. She looked at herself in the mirror, admiring the school uniform. Then she thought about Seto. 'He's going to be there!' she thought. Her lip trembled as she thought about what Joey had said. About her staying away from Seto. 'He can't tell me what to do!' she thought rebelliously as she walked out of the room.  
  
The two siblings ate their breakfast in silence. Joey knew his sister was still sore at him. 'Oh... she'll forget about him when she gets to school.' He didn't realize how wrong he was. She would never forget about him.  
  
The bus ride to school was uneventful... for Serenity. She sat next to Tea but didn't talk to her at all. Even though Tea hated Kaiba, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Serenity. 'Joey's being a little hard on her!" she thought. Serenity looked out of the window and saw Seto's limousine drive by. She knew he was sitting inside it and longed to see his face. 'Don't be silly Serenity!' she thought to herself, 'He probably doesn't even like you!' But there was always that small possibility...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Seto sat in his limousine, feeling excessively bored. 'Yet another boring school day!' he thought as his limo pulled up in the school's driveway. He stepped out and walked inside, hoping he wasn't late. He walked inside and sat down. He heard a familiar voice nearby. Turning around, he saw Serenity, that beautiful girl from yesterday... wait... beautiful? 'What am I talking about? I don't need girls in my life.' He turned away from her. She did the same, when her brother tapped her on the shoulder telling her that he didn't want to catch her with him.  
  
"Good morning class. Today we have a new student with us... Miss Serenity Wheeler. You may sit in front of Mr. Seto Kaiba." Serenity obeyed and sat in her new seat, which was also next to her brother. She didn't dare turn around and say hello to him, in case her brother said something.   
Seto noticed this and knew something was up. He was disappointed. He had enjoyed talking to the girl the day before... looking into her chocolate eyes, wanting to hold her. 'Snap out of it Seto!' he thought to himself. He started planning out the designs for a new dueling system in his notebook, not looking up at Serenity once.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The teacher droned on and on. About what, Serenity did not know. All she did know was that the one boy she cared about as much as her brother was seated behind her and she couldn't do anything about it. She was eager to turn around and see his rare smile again, but since Joey was staring at her, that was not an option. So Serenity was left in a dreamy state for the rest of the day, and even through their lunch period, where she barely even spoke.   
  
Yugi and Tea were both feeling bad for Serenity by this time. They both believed in true love. And they both involuntarily believed that Serenity and Kaiba made a good couple. They wished they could do something to make poor Serenity feel better, but knew if they did, Joey would get mad.  
  
Tristan was really starting to hate Kaiba. Before he showed up, Serenity was starting to like Tristan. But now, it was all Kaiba. Well he didn't care. He was going to get Serenity back somehow... and Joey would probably help him... he would do anything to make Serenity stop thinking about Kaiba...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Before the bell rings and you leave, I would like to remind you that there is a school dance scheduled in two weeks. Everyone is invited. Dress is formal and 'dates' are optional." The room was filled with excited voices when the teacher announced this. At least, everyone was excited except for Seto and Serenity. Serenity was dismayed because she couldn't go with Seto. He couldn't care less about the dance. He hated dances because nobody bothered talking to him at them. But there was always Serenity...  
  
"Joey, I am going to walk home today!" yelled Serenity to her brother, who was boarding the bus with his friends.  
  
"Okay!" yelled Joey back to her, "Be careful!" The bus pulled out of the driveway and drove away. Serenity walked down the sidewalk towards her house, looking for Seto. She had noticed that Seto was walking too, but where?  
  
"Hey there girlie..." said a voice. Serenity turned around and came face to face with a young man, whose breath smelled of alcohol. He was with a few of his friends, and they were obviously looking for some fun...  
  
"Get away from me!" she yelled.  
  
"Ooh... make me!" said another guy, drunkenly.  
  
Serenity was scared. The boys looked dangerous, and they wanted to rape her. "Someone save me!" she yelled, but stopped when she saw the first man holding a sharp razor in his hand. She suddenly felt pain in her shoulder. She looked and saw that he had cut her there. Blood was soaking through her now-ripped blouse. She felt weak and suddenly collapsed on the ground. 


	3. A Decision of Love and Betrayal

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
Seto Kaiba whistled to himself as he walked down the streets of Domino. School had finished, so he was walking back to his large mansion. He saw the school buses filled with sickeningly childish teenagers (at least, that's what he thought). He saw the bus with Yugi Moto and his friends pass by. 'But wait? Where's Wheeler's sister?' he thought with confusion. 'Wait... why do I care? Serenity Wheeler is just a girl... and nothing more.'  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by a shrill scream. He suddenly found himself running to the nearby alley, like a prince running to help a maiden in distress. He gasped as he saw the sight before him... a now-unconscious girl was being mistreated by some lousy punks. He lunged towards them with a feeling of cold hatred.  
  
"Oh... it's Mr. Moneybags..." said one of the men.  
  
"What are you gonna do, Kaiba? Bribe us?" said another, who seemed to be the gang's leader. The group started laughing at their leader's pitiful insult.  
  
"No," said Seto angrily, "I am going to do this." He punched the man in the stomach with his clenched fist, making him yelp in pain.  
  
"You wanna make something of it, Mr. CEO?" yelled another man, holding his fists up defensively.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do!" said Seto, kicking him (((A/N right where it hurts...))).  
  
The second man fell to his knees groaning. "Get that rich bastard!" he yelled to his drunken friends.  
  
"No way man... we ain't messin' wit dat guy..."  
  
"Yeah... Mista Moneybags... you can have your girlie!" They ran away, the victims of Seto's fury being carried by their friends.  
  
Seto bent down and looked at the unconscious schoolgirl with concern. She was lying facedown on the pavement, breathing heavily. He turned her over and saw her face covered with crystalline tears. It was then when he realized who she was.  
  
"Se... Serenity?" His faced paled when he realized he was getting no response.  
  
"Please wake up!" he said repeatedly. He stroked her long hair and looked up and down her body, hoping she hadn't been violated. He noticed the blood seeping out of her right shoulder. He quickly ripped off a strip of cloth from his navy blue shirt and wrapped it around the area. It was then he started to notice how perfect her body was.  
  
He shook his head with frustration, trying to get the dirty thoughts out of his head. But he, like every other boy, couldn't help but notice Serenity's thin waist, long legs, and ideal chest.  
  
'Pull yourself together!' he commanded himself. He then picked her up in his arms and carried her to...  
  
'I can't take her to her brother's house... he hates me... he'll think I did it. I can't take her to Tristan's or Tea's or Bakura's... they'll suspect me too. Yugi's maybe? Nah... he'll tell Joey immediately and then Joey'll be after me.' Suddenly, he thought of the obvious solution.  
  
'My mansion! She can stay in one of the guest rooms... and I can nurse her back to health... and maybe... maybe she'll fall for me...'  
  
He smiled mischievously as he called his chauffeur, asking him to bring a limousine over. Shortly after, a large black limousine pulled up, and he went inside, carrying the girl of his dreams with him.  
  
"Where to?" asked the driver, wondering who the girl was. He refrained from asking... Seto Kaiba was very grouchy with nosy people. It was better if he didn't know.  
  
"My house... and make it snappy... I don't want to be seen with her."  
  
"Yes sir." replied the driver, hoping that Seto hadn't done anything bad to the girl... after all... he WAS capable.  
  
Seto gazed at Serenity with admiration. She was beautiful and she was in his arms. It was like a fairy tale... or was it? What about that puppy dog? He wasn't going to ruin this, was he?  
  
'He's too stupid to do anything!' thought the CEO, overconfidently. He didn't know how wrong he was.  
  
The car stopped and he stepped out, still carrying Serenity. As he opened the door to his mansion, he was greeted by a little boy with long black hair.  
  
"BIG BROTHER! Who's that?"  
  
"This is Serenity, Joey's sister. She isn't feeling well, Mokuba, so I am going to help her. Please don't disturb us, little brother. Here." Seto grabbed something out of his pocket. It was the new Duel Monsters video game for Nintendo Gamecube.  
  
"Thank you Seto!" said Mokuba happily, racing upstairs to his playroom, where his video game systems were located.  
  
Seto carried Serenity to the first of seven guest bedrooms. He placed her softly on the bed and stroked her hair, longing to kiss her crimson lips but knowing that he couldn't. She would never like it. She was faithful to her brother's wishes, and he had told her to stay away from him. At least, that's what he thought...  
  
~  
  
Serenity opened her eyes slowly, wondering what had happened to her. She gasped when she saw the figure in front of her, a very handsome young man with brown hair and blue eyes... Seto Kaiba.  
  
"Um... hello Seto?" she mumbled with confusion.  
  
"Serenity." he replied, absentmindedly running his fingers through her brown hair.  
  
"Uh... where am I?" she asked him, unsure of herself.  
  
"My mansion." he answered plainly.  
  
"Your... your... mansion?" A look of fear spread across her face as she remembered her brother's words.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"Serenity... promise me you'll stay away from that bastard Kaiba."  
  
"I... I promise... Joey..."  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
"Se... Seto... I... uh... I am... not supposed... to... uh..."  
  
"Be here?"  
  
"How did you kno-?"  
  
"I know your brother hates me Serenity," he said quietly, "I heard him talking to you about staying away from me. I'll understand it if you'd rather go back to him."  
  
He turned away from her, praying that she wouldn't leave him. This one moment with her made him feel so peaceful and happy... she couldn't leave him.  
  
Serenity looked at him with dismay. 'Should I betray my brother? After all he's done for me? Should I stay here with his enemy?' After an uncomfortable silence, Serenity spoke.  
  
"I... I guess I'll stay here until I get better."  
  
"Okay..." responded Seto, turning around to face her again. "On to more important matters... what did those filthy cowards do to you?"  
  
"I don't remember..." She began to cry softly, hoping they hadn't raped her. If they had, it would ruin everything.  
  
Seto hugged her, feeling very awkward. After all, he wasn't the kind of person who did this often. In fact, if the troubled girl wasn't Serenity, he would probably have never even taken her to his mansion to begin with. But Serenity... she was different. She was understanding and pure-hearted. He was in love, for the first time in his life. But if only she felt the same about him... 


	4. Phone Calls and Worries

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
RIIIIIIIIING! RIIIIIIIIING! Tea groaned. She was trying to do her extremely hard geometry homework. Just when she was starting to understand it, some idiot had to try and call her.  
  
"Damn phone!" she yelled, listening as her pink phone rang for the tenth time.  
  
"Hello?" she said to the caller impatiently.  
  
"Tea?" said a worried voice.  
  
"Joey? What the he-"  
  
"Tea... is my baby sister there?"  
  
"Uh... no?"  
  
"She ISN'T?!"  
  
"No Joey... why... did she say she was here?"  
  
"No... but she didn't come home today and I thought that maybe she was with you..." Joey sighed and sounded very anxious.  
  
"Oh Joey... don't worry about it... Serenity can take care of herself... she's a teenager. She's probably with Tristan or something."  
  
"TRISTAN?!"  
  
"Yeah... you know how he's hitting on her and all..."  
  
"Why that little bas-"  
  
"Joey?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Leave the two of them alone... maybe it's good if Serenity has another male in her life... ya know what I mean?"  
  
"I sure wish I did... but Serenity isn't ready for a guy yet... she's too... too..."  
  
"No Joey! You are being way too overprotective of her!"  
  
"How dare you criticize my way of taking care of her! She's my baby sister... I love her and she loves me... and she knows what's best for her."  
  
"Yeah? Well why isn't she with you then?!"  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Tea?" Joey was feeling very pissed off at his friend.  
  
"You know what it means!" Tea slammed the phone down, leaving Joey angry and confused.  
  
'Serenity... where are you? What did Tea mean?' Joey groaned and sat on his bed. 'You BETTER not be with Tristan!' He reached for his phone, preparing to call his best friend.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Tea sighed with annoyance. 'Joey will never learn! Poor Serenity... he is so damn... strict with her.' Tea had a feeling she knew where Serenity was. She was definitely NOT with Tristan. She and Tristan didn't quite... nah... Serenity and Tristan weren't a good couple. But Serenity and Kaiba... now that was a different story.  
  
(((A/N Notice that Tea (and Yugi, and later on, Bakura and Mai) are supportive of this possible pairing... remember that.)))  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"TRISTAN! Stop lying!"  
  
"Joey... man... what the hell are you talking 'bout?... DUDE I am not with your sister... but I wish I was..."  
  
"TRISTAN!"  
  
"I'm just playin' with ya Joey ol' pal... but I am not with Serenity, got that?"  
  
"Damnit... Tristan, if you see Serenity, tell her to come home, okay bro?"  
  
"No problem, dude. Check with Yugi... you never know..."  
  
"I certainly hope she's with him. Bye Tristan."  
  
"Catch ya later Joey!"  
  
Joey put the phone down and punched his pillow with frustration. 'Where is Serenity? I'll call Yugi." He punched in the number and groaned. "The damn phone's busy!"  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"What's that, Tea?"  
  
"Yugi... Joey's being too overprotective of Serenity..."  
  
"Well... maybe a little..."  
  
"YUGI!"  
  
"Okay... maybe he is too overprotective... but she IS his sister."  
  
"Well yeah... but..."  
  
"Oh... don't worry about it Tea... everything will be FINE!"  
  
"But what'll happen when he finds out..."  
  
"Finds out what?"  
  
"Yugi?"  
  
"Yes Tea."  
  
"I think Serenity's with Kaiba..."  
  
"Tea?"  
  
"Yeah Yugi?"  
  
Yugi smiled to himself. "I think she is too..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Damnit Yugi... you BETTER not be busy this time..."  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Yug... this is Joey..."  
  
Yugi sighed as he anticipated what was coming next. "Oh hey Joey..."  
  
"Is Serenity there?"  
  
"Erm... no?"  
  
"Shit! Where is she?"  
  
"Is something wrong?" Yugi asked innocently.  
  
"Yeah... Serenity didn't come home today."  
  
"Don't worry about it Joey... she's probably with someone she met at school..."  
  
"But WHO? I tried everyone... Tea... Tristan... you..."  
  
"Bakura maybe?"  
  
"Oh yeah! Thanks pal!"  
  
"Bye Joey..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Seto... can I ask you something?"  
  
"Well... you are now, aren't you?" Seto held her close to him, hoping he could hold her forever.  
  
She wiped away her tears and looked at him with big brown eyes. (((A/N Her eyes are brown, right? If they aren't, what color are they? Please tell me!))) "Seto... why did you save me?"  
  
"What kind of question is that? I saved you because those jerks were hurting you!"  
  
"Is that the only reason?"  
  
"Serenity... what are you talking about?"  
  
Serenity and Seto stared at each other, their eyes locked together. "Uh... never mind... it was nothing..."  
  
"No Serenity... please tell me..."  
  
"Well, if I was... uh... someone else... would you save me?"  
  
"I'm not really following..."  
  
"What I'm trying to say Seto... is... do you..."  
  
Suddenly the phone rang. Seto shrugged and looked at Serenity curiously before picking it up.  
  
"Uh... Kaiba?"  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"Tea Gardner."  
  
Seto frowned. Had those losers found out about him being with Serenity already? Was that dog coming to get her? "I don't have... uh... time to... uh... talk to you... I... uh... have a company to run!"  
  
"Nice try Kaiba... listen..."  
  
"I am!"  
  
"Geez... calm down Kaiba... I'm on your side..."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Okay... I just wanted to let you know that I am totally supportive of you and Serenity."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Kaiba... I know your with her right now!"  
  
"How the hell did you... is this a trap?!"  
  
"No Seto... Yugi and I think you should be with Serenity... no matter what Joey or Tristan say... follow your heart!"  
  
"Do you mean it?"  
  
"Yeah! I promise!"  
  
"Well... uh... hang on a second..." Seto looked at Serenity.  
  
"Uh... could you leave the room for a second?... It's one of those rival corporations... I'll be with you in a minute."  
  
"Sure Seto..." said Serenity sadly. She left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.  
  
"Okay... Tea... I need your help..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Are you SURE she isn't with you Bakura?"  
  
"I'm absolutely positive Joey."  
  
"Has your psycho yami got her?"  
  
"No Joey..."  
  
"All right... if you find her..."  
  
"I know Joey... I'll tell her to go home..."  
  
"Right... uh... bye Bakura..."  
  
"Bye Joey."  
  
Ryou Bakura sighed. 'I think I agree with Yugi and Tea,' he thought, 'about Joey being too strict with his sister.' 


	5. Frustrating Interruptions

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
  
'Come on... think Joey think... you MUST have forgotten someone... she has to be SOMEWHERE!' His thoughts were interrupted by the loud ringing of his phone.  
  
"Hello?!" he said anxiously.  
  
"Joey? Hey it's Mai... Mai Valentine."  
  
"MAI! Is Serenity there?"  
  
"Uhh... no... but that's why I called you..."  
  
"You mean you know where she is?"  
  
Mai hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Joey... I want you to understand something..."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Joey... listen to me... I know you love your sister and all... but aren't you being a little harsh with her as far as restrictions and stuff?"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about Mai?"  
  
"Joey... oh... never mind..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just... don't be so harsh with her, okay?"  
  
"I don't understand Mai..."  
  
"Listen... uh... why don't you see what happens in school tomorrow."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"And meet me at my house after school tomorrow..."  
  
"But Mai! What about Serenity?"  
  
"I have a feeling she's doing fine, Joey."  
  
"But Mai... Mai? Yo Mai? You there? Damn!" Mai had already hung up.  
  
Joey groaned with annoyance and frustration. 'Why does everybody seem to know something I don't?'  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Uhh... Kaiba... what kind of help do you need?"  
  
"Uh... I haven't exactly told Serenity how I feel..."  
  
"You mean you two aren't..."  
  
"No..." said Seto meekly.  
  
"KAIBA! Surely you know how to ask a girl out!"  
  
"Uh... not really..."  
  
"Haven't you ever..."  
  
"No..."  
  
"You've NEVER gone out with anyone?!"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Well... I guess you should just... tell her exactly what you feel..."  
  
"How?!"  
  
"Just say something like... Serenity, I think I'm in love with you."  
  
"And that's all?"  
  
"Well... if she says anything after, you should respond..."  
  
"Uh... how?"  
  
"KAIBA! Just... just play it cool... all right?"  
  
"Okay..."  
  
"And Kaiba?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Don't tell Joey or Tristan about you two... okay?"  
  
Seto frowned. "Why would I? And why not Tristan?"  
  
"Well... Tristan has a MAJOR crush on Serenity..."  
  
Seto groaned. "You mean I have competition?"  
  
"Well... yeah... but I think you're winning..."  
  
"Right..."  
  
"And Kaiba?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Don't let Tristan beat you to her..."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"She's yours... but you have to act fast... I think Tristan and Joey are planning something..."  
  
Seto growled. "Well if they are, I won't let them stand in my way!"  
  
"Uh... Kaiba... this isn't a duel..."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Serenity isn't just a prize, okay?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What I mean is, by going out with her, you are committing yourself to her... there can't be any more of the 'I have a company to run' excuse."  
  
Seto grinned. "Don't worry... I have it all under control..."  
  
"And Kaiba?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Sorry about what I said at the Duelist Kingdom... I was wrong about you..."  
  
"Thank you for your help..."  
  
"No problem Kaiba-boy..."  
  
"What the hell did you just call me?!"  
  
Tea laughed. "Oh... nothing..." She hung up the phone grinning.  
  
'Seto Kaiba is a lot nicer than I thought...'  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Hey Serenity? You can come in now..."  
  
Serenity stepped inside the room, looking at Seto with a curious expression. She had a feeling that Seto wasn't talking to a rival company.  
  
"Serenity... there's something I want to tell you."  
  
"Yes Seto?"  
  
He ran his hand through her soft, sweet-smelling hair.  
  
"Serenity?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I think I'm in lo-"  
  
Suddenly the phone rang *again*.  
  
"Damn phone!"  
  
Serenity giggled as he swore at the telephone. Seto smiled back at her, before picking up the phone.  
  
"Kaiba?" said a voice at the other end.  
  
"Speaking."  
  
"Hey man! You might not know me that well, but this is Duke Devlin... from school."  
  
"Hold on a second." He looked at Serenity.  
  
"Should I leave?" she asked quietly.  
  
Seto nodded with an apologetic expression. She left the room again, leaving him alone in the room talking to Duke.  
  
"Okay... yeah I know you... you're the Dungeon Dice Monsters kid, right?"  
  
"Yeah!" Duke laughed. "I am honored to speak to the CEO of Kaiba Corporation!"  
  
"Uh... thanks... I guess..."  
  
Duke paused for a moment, thinking about how much nicer Kaiba seemed. "Uh... Kaiba... just to let you know, I am not talking to you for business matters..."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
"Uh... listen... a few minutes ago, I got a call from Joey..."  
  
"Damn!"  
  
"Uh... well... I also kinda figured she was with you but..."  
  
"Duke... you didn't tell, did you?"  
  
"No! Of course not! No... I just wanted to say... take care of her, okay? I care about her a lot, and I just want to make sure she's in good hands."  
  
"Believe me... she is... once I actually get to ASK her!"  
  
"Oh... haha... you haven't yet? Well good luck anyway... me and Tea and Yugi and Bakura and Mai... we are trying to cover for you..."  
  
"All of you?"  
  
"Yeah... I just called Yugi, who had already spoken to Tea, Mai, and Bakura. We are cheering for you two."  
  
"Uh... thanks?"  
  
"No problem... but watch out for Tristan... he wants Serenity as bad as you do."  
  
"So I heard..."  
  
(((A/N YAY! Another SxS supporter (a really hot one, I might add) LOL anyway, remember that this is after the DDM episodes Duke... the NICE one that you see in the Japanese version (if you have ever seen it) The only difference is, in this fic, he doesn't have a crush on Serenity or anything, he likes her like a sister)))  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Was that Joey?" said a voice outside of the door.  
  
Seto smiled. "Nah Serenity... it was Duke... Duke Devlin... making sure you were okay..."  
  
"Yeah and Tea called you before, right?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Listen Seto... I know they all called you, but I don't know how they knew I was here. Do you know?"  
  
"Serenity... I have been trying to tell you this... but..."  
  
"HELLO! Who are you?"  
  
The future couple turned around to see a smiling child with long black hair and a smile that could melt any heart. (((A/N awwwww....)))  
  
"Hello there!" said Serenity with a kind and friendly smile. "I am Serenity, Joey's little sister."  
  
"HI!"  
  
"Mokuba... we're a little busy and"  
  
"No we aren't Seto. So is this your little brother?"  
  
Seto sighed. "Yes..."  
  
"Wow! He is such a cutie... takes after you Seto..."  
  
Seto blushed slightly.  
  
Mokuba watched with childish amusement. He had a feeling his brother was in love with Serenity. But did Joey know?  
  
"Mokuba! Don't tell Joey she is here okay? Don't tell ANYONE!"  
  
"Okay big brother!"  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Did ya find her yet, Tristan?"  
  
"Nah... did you, Joey?"  
  
"Why the hell do you think I am asking you?"  
  
"Because you're stupid."  
  
"Shut up, you dumb retard!"  
  
"Hey Joey... do you think she's with another guy? 'Cause if she is..."  
  
"She BETTER not be, Tristan!"  
  
"What if she's with... Kaiba?"  
  
"KAIBA?!"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"If she is, I will KICK HIS RICH ASS!"  
  
"And I'll help you..."  
  
"Thanks pal!"  
  
"But since I am... can I have Serenity?"  
  
"Okay..." 


	6. Rejection and Sadness

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
  
"Let's do it tomorrow..."  
  
"Do what, Tristan?"  
  
"Tomorrow, Joey... in school, during lunch... we'll ask Serenity about today... when Kaiba's nearby... he'll be so embarrassed!"  
  
"But Tristan... I need to get her today!"  
  
"Look... why not wait until tomorrow so we can ruin that bastard's fucking reputation for being a lousy, cold-hearted moron."  
  
"Uh... I guess... but wouldn't that make Serenity feel..."  
  
"Nah- Serenity is YOUR sister... she isn't gonna say anything... you have every reason to yell at that god damn CEO!"  
  
"But Tristan..."  
  
"Joey... think of all the lame dog jokes... don't you want to get him back for those? This is the PERFECT solution!"  
  
"I guess your right..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Meanwhile, at the Kaiba mansion, Seto was once again alone with the teenage beauty that had melted his cold heart. Mokuba had gone to bed after a long argument with his brother.   
  
"Now it's my chance to tell her..." muttered the lovesick CEO, gazing at her as she worked on her homework on his office floor.  
  
"What was that Seto?" she asked innocently, while stacking her neatly written writing composition and getting out her history textbook.  
  
"Uh," Seto stopped typing his company earnings report. It wasn't as important as what he wanted to tell her. He gazed into her chocolate eyes lovingly, praying that she wouldn't reject him. He stared at her for a brief moment, making her shift uncomfortably on the floor. He got out of his soft leather executive chair and knelt down on the blue carpet beside her, never breaking their locked gaze.  
  
"What is it, Seto?" she repeated, wondering why he was so close to her.   
  
"Serenity..." he murmured longingly.  
  
"Seto?" she asked, her eyes filled with questions waiting to be asked.  
  
"Serenity..." He couldn't control his yearning for her. He wanted her... now. Before Serenity could protest, he leaned towards her, pressing his lips against hers. He could feel her trying to speak, but he didn't want to let her. Suddenly, the two were lying on the ground, Serenity on the bottom. Seto moved his hands up her thin body, pausing at her chest. Serenity moaned as he lay on top of her, trying to push him away even though she didn't want to.  
  
He moved his lips to her neck, kissing her intensely while calling out her name with pleasure.  
  
"Seto." she moaned.  
  
He paid no attention to her helpless protests. He knew what she was going to say, but he didn't want to hear it. Serenity closed her eyes, wishing she could be with the boy she loved... but she couldn't... she wouldn't.   
  
"Seto!" she called out one last time, attempting to push him off of her.  
  
Seto ran his hand over her chest once more, wishing he could just pull her shirt off and feel her. He lifted his head again, about to kiss her red lips once more, but stopped when he saw the tears.  
  
"Serenity?" He held her close to him, hoping he hadn't hurt her.  
  
"Seto... I can't!" she sobbed in his arms.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I... I can't." A pang of guilt came over her as she thought about the promise she had made with her brother. She felt dirty and unloyal.  
  
Seto's heart pounded as he heard her hurtful words. 'I can't!' The words repeated in his mind. He felt horrible and cruel. How could he have done this to her? More importantly, how could she have done this to him? He remembered the cold-hearted man he used to be, self-centered and unwilling to accept friendship or love. And here he was, being rejected.  
  
"Seto... I am so sorry..." The tears soaked his shirt, making him feel even worse. Yet he also felt angry.  
  
His old self was coming back... the feelings of rejection and hatred that had been in him for six long years were back once more. He had lost his heart to a girl that didn't love him. His life was over... he was over... there was no more love in his heart.  
  
'Damn you Gozaburo!' he thought, feeling the presence of his abusive step-father inside of him. He had sexually abused this poor girl, as his Gozaburo had done to him. 'Serenity must hate me now... I have hurt her so much... I am not worthy of living. I am just like my step-father!'  
  
He felt tears in his eyes as he remembered the many years of abuse from Gozaburo. He was forced to give in to the man, and was raped repeatedly. When he dared to disobey, he was whipped. Gozaburo often brought drunk friends, who laughed and raped him even more.  
  
'I am turning into that bastard... there's no way out of it... if I continue to live.'  
  
"Serenity... I am sorry... I don't know what came over me... but I assure you, it's gone now."  
  
She looked up at him through her tears, seeing his cold eyes and hearing his emotionless words. 'What have I done to him?' she thought as she looked at the new person that stood before her. This was the Seto Kaiba as her brother knew him... cruel and unforgiving. She realized it suddenly, feeling torn between emotions. 'I have stolen his heart.'  
  
"Get up... go to bed or something... we have school tomorrow." He pointed to the doorway, looking at her with his icy stare.  
  
She got up from the floor weeping, and as she left the room, she dared not to turn back, for she knew that the person she would see didn't want to see her. She ran to her guest room, reaching for the doorknob blindly. She found it and stepped inside, closing the door behind her and sobbing into it.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
'Where is the damn thing?!' Seto thought as he searched through his messy desk. He opened the tenth drawer and reached behind the papers, feeling the sharp edge of a knife. He pulled the weapon out and looked at it, eagerly waiting to take his life with it. He went to the area where he had Serenity pinned down on the floor minutes before. He prepared to plunge it into his unloving heart, until he heard his brother's cry.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Mokuba?" Seto looked at his little brother, who was standing at the doorway with teary eyes and a terrified expression.  
  
"Big brother!" sobbed the boy, "Please don't go... don't leave me Seto... you can't!"  
  
The elder Kaiba looked down at the knife that was threateningly close to his chest.  
  
"Mokuba... I... I am... I" Seto stuttered, suddenly realizing the pain he was causing his brother.  
  
"Seto... why? Why do you want to die?"  
  
"I... I..." Seto broke down on the ground crying. Mokuba looked at his brother with concern. Seto never cried... since the day their parents had died.  
  
"Seto... why?"  
  
"I... I hurt her..."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Wheeler's sister... Serenity..." He dried his tears, feeling extremely guilty.  
  
"What? Big brother... what did you do to her?"  
  
"I... I kissed her..."  
  
Mokuba looked at Seto, feeling confused. "And that's why you wanted to kill yourself?" The tears slid down his cheeks. His brother almost died... because of a silly kiss? 'Does he love her more than he loves ME?' thought the poor boy.  
  
Serenity listened outside of the door. She had come out or her room after hearing Mokuba going to Seto's room. She wiped away her tears. "I love you, Seto." she whispered to the closed door, knowing that he didn't hear her. "If only you knew..." She tiptoed back to her room, closing the door softly behind her. 


	7. Regretting the Past

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
  
Serenity yawned as she woke up the next morning. Her body ached, and her pillow was still wet with tears. Her neck was sore, and it was not until she went to the bathroom to have a shower that she realized why.  
  
The red marks on her neck were obviously from the night before. Seto had been very intense with his kisses, and this was the result. Her neck felt very stiff. To make matters worse, her eyes were red from a night of crying. Tears ran down her soft cheeks as she looked at herself in the mirror.  
  
After she had showered, she realized she had a dilemma. How could she go to school with the red marks on her neck? She would be laughed at, and her brother would definitely realize what had happened. She looked at her pink school uniform, hoping she would find an answer.  
  
"Miss... why don't you wear this?"  
  
Serenity turned around and found herself staring at a kind young women with a turtleneck in her hand.  
  
"Uh... thank you... Miss..."  
  
"Oh I am the maid... Greta."  
  
"Thank you Greta..."  
  
"Is there anything else I can do for you? Mr. Kaiba sent me here to see if you needed anything."  
  
"No thank you Greta... I am fine... I think..." Tears formed in her beautiful eyes as she thought about the previous day.  
  
"Do you love him?"  
  
"Wha... What?"  
  
"Miss Serenity... do you love Mr. Kaiba?"  
  
Serenity looked at the tired maid and smiled weakly. "I wish I could... but I can't..."  
  
The sound of the phone ringing was heard. Suddenly, the door opened and Mokuba came running into the bedroom.   
  
"Serenity... Tea wants to talk to you!"  
  
"Thanks Mokuba..." She picked up the phone. "Hey Tea..."  
  
"Hey Serenity... uh... ask Kaiba to drop you off at my house or something... so that I could pretend you were with me. Your brother is pissed at me already, so I could just say I lied to him yesterday."  
  
"Thanks Tea..."  
  
"So are you two..."  
  
"Nah... I'll talk to you later Tea." She gave the phone to Mokuba and walked to Seto's office. She opened the door. "Seto..."  
  
She gasped. The person before her wasn't the Seto Kaiba she knew and loved. Sure he had brown hair and blue eyes, but his hair was ruffled and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked at her with narrow eyes, and his thin lips were cold and almost scary.  
  
"Seto?"  
  
"From now on you will refer to me as Kaiba... nothing more and nothing less... got that, bitch?"  
  
She could sense the anger and sadness in his deep voice. She stiffened and wished she could go back to last night and tell him she loved him. But it was too late now. She kept the tears inside of her. She looked at him with sad eyes, praying he'd come back to her. But then again, he never was with her to begin with... and it was all her fault.  
  
"Seto... I mean Kaiba... can you drop me off at Tea's on the way to school?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're not welcome."  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"No really... I don't want you here anymore... I don't ever want to speak to you... I don't even want to look at you." He continued with his work, hoping she hadn't noticed his tears.  
  
But she had. "Se- Kaiba... I am sorry..."  
  
"I don't care what you are, just leave!" He pointed to the door and continued typing.  
  
Serenity glanced at him with tears welling up in her sad brown eyes. 'I can't cry now!' she told herself angrily. But the tears wouldn't listen. Seto looked up from his work, impatiently waiting for her to leave. Then he noticed them... he had made her cry... just like Gozaburo. He typed faster and faster, hoping to get the image of that filthy bastard Gozaburo out of his head.  
  
"But Seto... shouldn't we leave for school?" asked Serenity quietly.  
  
Seto groaned and got up from his chair. He grabbed his schoolbag and walked out the door without even looking at her. "Mokuba, the driver will take you to school in a little while, okay?" He ran outside, with Serenity following him. He opened the door of his metallic blue convertible. He got inside of it, not bothering to open the door for Serenity as a gentleman should. She opened the door herself, looking at the CEO with sadness.  
  
He drove quickly to Tea's house and grunted, which evidently meant 'Get the hell out of my car and go to her house!' She looked at him. "Can't we be friends Seto? And nothing more?"  
  
"I don't think your brother would want you to!" Then Serenity watched as the stubborn teenager drove away.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Serenity?"  
  
"Hey Tea..."  
  
"Yo... what's with the turtleneck?" asked the brunette. She suddenly stopped, noticing how sad Serenity was looking.  
  
"Serenity... what's wrong?"  
  
"He... he... and... I... we... we aren't..."  
  
"What did that Kaiba do?"  
  
"Yesterday, he told me that he... he loved me..." She sobbed into her pink schoolbag.  
  
"And..."  
  
"Then he kissed me..."  
  
"On the neck?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"So..."  
  
"I told him to stop... and I told him I didn't want to go out with him. He got really angry and told me... to leave."  
  
"He did?"  
  
"And then he tried to commit... suicide!"  
  
Tea gasped. Kaiba... committing suicide?  
  
"Until his little brother... stopped him..."  
  
"But you mean Kaiba wanted to kill himself... and leave his little brother all alone!"  
  
Serenity nodded worriedly. "And now he won't even look at me!"  
  
"Don't worry... he'll get over it... come on... we need to leave for school!"  
  
"What do I say to Joey?"  
  
"You were at my house and you didn't want him to make you go back so you didn't tell him..."  
  
"But that's lying..."  
  
Tea smiled. "Loosen up and live a little Serenity! He's not your mother!"  
  
Serenity smiled back. The two ran to school, narrowly making it in time.  
  
Tea's words repeated themselves in Serenity's head... 'Loosen up and live a little! Loosen up and live a little!...' 'If only I had...' she thought as she entered the classroom. 


	8. A Very Angry Brother

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
  
"SERENITY!?"  
  
"Uh... Joey..."  
  
"Where the hell were you?!"  
  
Tea frowned. "She was at MY house, Joey..."  
  
"What the- Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"You're too overprotective. You'd have asked her to come back!"  
  
Joey looked hurt. "I am NOT overprotective."  
  
Their classmates watched the argument with interest. Their teacher hadn't arrived yet.  
  
"Yes you are, Joey!"  
  
"Whadd'ya mean Tea?! I am NOT!"  
  
Seto Kaiba sat in the corner. He was still angry at poor Serenity. He sulked as he listened to the conversation.  
  
"YA KNOW WHAT, TEA?!! I think you're being a BITCH!"  
  
The class was silent. Tea looked at Joey, teary-eyed and stunned. "You can't take any criticism, Joey! You think you're SO perfect! I HATE you Joey Wheeler!" She ran out into the hallway. Serenity ran after her, dismayed that her failed relationship could cause all of this trouble.  
  
"Hey Joey! You really shouldn't have said that to Tea..."  
  
"Aw... come on Yug... you have to admit... she was being really annoying... what I said was true. I'm not overprotective, am I Yug?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Am I?!" Joey grasped Yugi's collar, glaring at him with angry eyes. "AM I YUGI?!"  
  
Yugi gasped. Joey had suddenly become mean and scary.  
  
"Er... Joey... I think you're hurting him..."  
  
Joey let go of Yugi and turned so he was face to face with Ryou Bakura.  
  
"Wanna make something of it, Brit-boy?!!"  
  
"Uh... no thank you?..." said Ryou fearfully.  
  
"Joey? Get a hold of yourself!" yelled Duke. "I am TOTALLY in agreement with Tea! You ARE being horribly irrational with your sister!"  
  
"Ya think so?" Joey growled at Duke.  
  
Seto stopped reading and watched Joey's nervous breakdown with interest.  
  
"So the puppy's finally losing it..." he muttered with a smirk.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY KAIBA?!"  
  
"I would tell you, but I'd get a smarter response out of a wall."  
  
"ALL RIGHT... YOU'RE ASKING FOR IT MR. MONEYBAGS!" He jumped on the CEO and started pounding his head with his fist.  
  
"Shit Joey..." said Tristan amusedly, not bothering to pull the blonde back.  
  
"JOEY! Stop!" Duke, Ryou, and even little Yugi attempted to pull the angry teen off of Seto. Joey aimed blows at the brunettes head. This continued until...  
  
"JOEY! HOW COULD YOU?!" The whole class turned to see Serenity sobbing at the doorway.  
  
"Serenity?" Joey looked at his sister, and then he looked at himself. He was a mess. He stood up and dusted himself off. It was then when he decided to look at Seto.  
  
To say Seto was hurt would be an understatement. The CEO had a black eye and a bloody lip. He had three bloody streaks across his cheeks. His hair was disheveled and his school uniform covered with blood from his lip. He attempted to stand up but found that he couldn't. He glared at Joey with his icy blue stare. "I don't suppose you noticed, Wheeler, but during the whole time you were fighting with me, I didn't hurt you once."  
  
Joey looked down at himself and realized that what Seto said was true. There wasn't a scratch or bruise or anything. In fact, except for the dust on parts of his blue uniform and the few hairs out of place, he looked just the same as he had upon entering the classroom. He looked at his best friends, but the only one who responded in a friendly manner was Tristan. Yugi was holding his neck and staring at the ground. Ryou was looking helpless as he backed away from the blonde. Duke was glaring at Joey, and giving him the middle finger. Tea was standing at the doorway, sobbing.  
  
And then there was Serenity, who had collapsed on the floor crying her heart out. A few kind girls in their class had attempted to comfort her, but to no avail. "Joey..." she whispered softly, "How could you?" She continued to sob on the floor.  
  
Seto managed to get up with the help of Yugi, Ryou, and Duke. He limped to the doorway, not bothering to look at Serenity's saddened eyes or listen to her heartbreaking sobs.  
  
"Where are you going, Kaiba?" Tea asked., "... school is gonna start any second now!"   
  
"Where am I going, Tea? I'm going to hell!" He kept walking, not looking back at his stunned classmates. 


	9. Guilty Feelings of Regret

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
  
Joey stood in middle of the classroom feeling worried and guilty. 'How could I have done that to Kaiba... even though he IS a jerk... he didn't even do anything this time! Damn... I hope he doesn't do anything stupid.'  
  
"Serenity... Serenity stop crying..." said Tea soothingly.  
  
"Tea! He... he..."  
  
"I know your brother's being a big moron but that's just how he is!"  
  
"Hey Tea... that's enough from the peanut gallery!"  
  
"Yeah... well I'm not the one with the peanut-sized brain!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"JOEY! You bastard... do you realize how badly you hurt Kaiba? What happens if he... he..."  
  
"He what?!"  
  
Tea stood in silence as she looked at Serenity. Serenity was worried enough already. 'I can't tell her that Kaiba's suicidal...' Tea recalled the incident atop the castle at Duelist Kingdom. 'Kaiba was ready to kill himself!'  
  
"You heard me Tea... he what?!!"  
  
Yugi looked at Joey and whispered something in his ear.  
  
"But Yug... it's not like he's gonna do that again!"  
  
Yugi shrugged. "I'm hope you're right Joey..."  
  
"Hey Serenity... why are you crying anyway? You don't still... uh... like that rich snob... do you?"  
  
Serenity cried even louder.  
  
"You JERK Joey!" yelled Tea angrily. She slapped him in the face.  
  
"Hey... Tea... I'm trying to be nice!"  
  
"Sure..."  
  
Suddenly the door opened. Their teacher stepped in. Students rushed to their seats.   
  
Serenity got up from the floor wiping her eyes and sat down in her desk. She couldn't help but notice the empty seat behind her, and it was then when her heart had truly broken. She glanced at the door every few seconds, hoping to see him walk back in the classroom. But he never did.  
  
Joey looked at her with concern. She had no smile and an occasional tear fell out of her tired eyes. She didn't look back at him at all.  
  
Tea, Yugi, Ryou, and Duke also noticed their friend's sadness.   
  
'Poor Serenity,' thought Duke, 'And I thought she had finally found someone too...'  
  
Yugi and Tea were also worried about Seto. 'I hope he won't!' thought Yugi, recalling the time Seto almost died at Duelist Kingdom.  
  
Tristan gazed at Serenity. He didn't really care about Kaiba... all he wanted was Serenity. And he was going to get her... soon...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The bell rang and the students ran out the door, excitedly. Serenity took the opportunity to run out of the classroom before Joey, Tea, Yugi, Ryou, Tristan, or Duke could say anything.  
  
Joey started to run after her but was stopped by Tea.  
  
"But where the hell is she going?"  
  
Everyone except Joey and Tristan knew that she was going to the Kaiba mansion.  
  
"Why don't you leave her alone Joey... she needs some time by herself..." Yugi looked up at his friend with big purple eyes.  
  
"Uh... all right Yug..."  
  
Suddenly, a car pulled up. A long haired blonde stepped out. "Hey Joey!"  
  
"Mai!"  
  
"The one and only!"  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well... weren't we planning to meet today?"  
  
"Oh yeah!"  
  
Mai looked at him with a smile. "So did you ever find Serenity?"  
  
"Well yeah... but she seems to have run off somewhere again..."  
  
Mai looked at him with concern. "I think we need to have a little talk, Joey..." She winked at the four Serenity-Seto supporters and drove off with Joey.  
  
"Hey guys... I have to go to my aunt's house today... bye..."  
  
"Bye Tristan!"  
  
Tea, Yugi, Ryou, and Duke walked to the Game Shop.  
  
"Should we check on Serenity first?" asked Ryou.  
  
"Nah... they need some time alone."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Seto? Seto? Where are you?" yelled Serenity as she ran around the Kaiba mansion anxiously. The door had been open, but there was seemingly no sign of Seto Kaiba anywhere. She ran into his office and found his bloody school uniform on the floor.  
  
She collapsed on the floor crying, hoping nothing had happened to him.  
  
"Where are you Seto?" she yelled again. She heard a noise in the next room. She had never been in that room before.  
  
She opened the door cautiously and peeked inside. "Seto, are you there?" The room was dark. It was probably the largest bedroom in the mansion, even larger than Seto's. She felt the walls for a light switch. When she had found one, she flicked it on.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Back at Mai's house, Joey was pouring out his deepest secrets to Mai. He told her about his recent worries... Serenity being lost, Tea saying Serenity was with her, Serenity being sad, and then the fight with Kaiba.  
  
"You beat the shit out of Kaiba?!"  
  
"Uh... kinda..."  
  
"And he didn't even fight back?"  
  
"N... n... no?"  
  
"Joey... this is serious... first of all... I think Serenity might have been at Kaiba's house..."  
  
"You really think so? If that bastard even..."  
  
"JOEY! Your sister loves him! It's obvious!"  
  
"But... but it's Kaiba!"  
  
"She loves him... you can't keep her away from the guy she loves you know..."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Joey... how would you feel if someone kept you away from me?"  
  
"From you? What does that have to do with anything?!"  
  
"You love me, don't you?"  
  
Joey blushed. "Well... eh... I... I... well... I guess... eheh..."  
  
Mai reddened too as she looked at him. "So... uh... you'd feel really sad... would-"  
  
She was cut off suddenly by Joey's kiss.  
  
"Joey!" she gasped underneath him.  
  
He backed away. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Alrighty then!" He kissed her again. She smiled to herself.  
  
'Well there goes that psychiatry session...' she thought.  
  
((A/N If you TRULY like this story, review PLEASE! I beg you to review, this fic needs more reviews or I won't continue... it's already hard enough with schoolwork and all... so what do you think? Ha... little cliffhanger with the Serenity/light switch/dark room thing hehe... so what do you think is going to happen? Did you like Joey/Mai, should I do more?- remember this fic is MAINLY a Serenity x Seto fic! Suggestions, comments, etc. needed before I continue!)) 


	10. I Don't Deserve Her

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
  
((A/N I'd like to thank the wonderful reviewers! You guys are awesome! I mean... I had a goal of 5 reviews after every update... and I got 41 reviews after uploading Ch 9! Wow! Thanks to all of you! Without you guys, this fic would be forever doomed! ^^ And special thanks go to Pharaoh's Queen... for reviewing like EVERY CHAPTER! Lol and yes this fic does scream 'kaiba fan' lol ^^ Gosh he's hot ^^ And don't worry, Seto isn't gonna die... he's too hot to (I would never kill that hottie in one of my fics) Also, I noticed many people thinking Joey is a *bleep* in this fic lol and I just wanted to say that... Joey is one of my fav characters and sorry if he seems like an idiot in this fic, but really, he is a great character in the anime ^^ (so don't let this fic change your opinion of him) So what do you think of Joey x Mai in this fic... I've gotten various opinions, but I need more ^^ This fic will ALWAYS be Serenity x Seto, but Joey x Mai would be cool, right? And in case you're wondering... Tristan (in this fic) is EEEVVVIIILLL! Lol no offense to his fans... ^^ Oh and people have told me that Serenity's eyes are a different color ^^ Well, let's PRETEND they are brown, okay? ^^ And also, thanx reviewers who gave some suggestions for this chappy... Summond Switcheroo, I liked your suggestions a lot, but since I HATE writing about blood, I'll change it a little ^^ And finally, THANK YOU PEOPLES WHO PUT ME OR MY STORIES ON YOUR FAVS LIST! On that *long* note, we'll continue with Ch. 10 ^^ And I am hoping for a lot of reviews for this one too ^^ And sorry about the late update...)  
  
"What is this place?" thought Serenity as she tiptoed through the large room. It was indeed very gloomy. The silken bedsheets were untouched, and dust was gathering on the old wooden furniture. A large desk was positioned in the corner. On the wall was a picture of a large man with graying hair and a thick mustache. He looked cruel and superior, making the scared brunette shiver. She walked over to the picture, tripping over something that lay on the red carpeted floor. Looking down, she gasped.  
  
"Seto?" she cried, collapsing on the ground bending over the lifeless body that was sprawled on the floor.   
  
Sure enough, Seto Kaiba was unconscious on the ground. His pulse was weak and his blue eyes closed. His hair was ruffled and he was wearing his blue trenchcoat with his blue shirt and pants.  
  
"Seto! What happened? Please don't die!" sobbed Serenity.  
  
Suddenly, she noticed the cause of his pain. Next to him was a bottle of pills, with its contents scattered across the floor. Realization hit her as she shivered from thinking of what Seto had done.  
  
"What should I do?!" she thought anxiously. She pulled out her cell phone and called the first person she could think of...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Yugi... I'm getting worried..."  
  
"Why Tea?"  
  
"What if something happened to him? Or Serenity?"  
  
"Tea," said Ryou calmly, "I'm sure they are fine."  
  
"Yeah!" added Duke mischievously, "They probably don't want us to interrupt their fun..."  
  
"DUKE!"  
  
The boy laughed. Tea was absolutely disgusted.  
  
"You've got a very sick mind, Duke Devlin!"  
  
"You know guys," said Yugi slowly, "I kinda agree with Tea..."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I mean... Ryou... you remember Duelist Kingdom..."  
  
"Well yeah..."  
  
"And how he recently almost killed himself..."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"And remember what he said to Tea this morning before he left school?"  
  
"Holy crap!" Duke Devlin paled suddenly. "What if you're right?"  
  
"Serenity..." muttered Ryou worriedly.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Ya know Mai... maybe you're right..."  
  
"Aren't I always?" asked Mai playfully.  
  
"Yep!" said Joey with a grin.  
  
"Joey... you kinda remind me of a dog sometimes..."  
  
"NO! Not you too, Mai!..."  
  
"I'm only joking kiddo..."  
  
"I am no kid... in fact, I am the same age as you!" ((A/N I dunno if that's true but PRETEND it is...))  
  
"Yeah yeah... whatever Joey..."  
  
He leaned forward to kiss her again, when a ringing sound came from his pocket.  
  
"Damn... it's my phone!"  
  
"You're phone can wait, I am more important, right?"  
  
"Hang on Mai, lemme check who it is."  
  
"Oh... all right!" said Mai with annoyance.  
  
Joey looked at his cell phone. "It's my sister!"  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Come one Joey, answer!" whispered Serenity while stroking the CEO's hair.  
  
"Serenity?" said a confused voice on the other end.  
  
"Joey! You've gotta help me!"  
  
"What happened? Where are you?"  
  
"The Kaiba mansion."  
  
"What?! Did that loser do anything to you?"  
  
"No... I came here looking for him... he... tried to kill himself!"  
  
"Holy shit! Hang on! I'll be right there!"  
  
Joey looked at Mai. "Get Yugi and the others... we gotta go to the Kaiba mansion!"  
  
"All right! We'll meet you there!"  
  
"Thanks Mai!" he yelled, grabbing his coat.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Uh hey Mai?" said Yugi, looking at the exhausted blonde. "What brings you here?"  
  
"Kaiba mansion... now!" she gasped. ((A/N She ran to the Game Shop ^^))  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't know... Serenity called and Joey told me to get you guys!"  
  
"Then we'd better get going!" yelled Duke.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Serenity? You in there?" yelled Joey, banging on the door of the Kaiba mansion. He heard quick footsteps. The door was opened by a very worried Serenity.  
  
"Where is he?" asked the blonde.  
  
"Over here." He followed her to the mysterious room.  
  
"Oh no..." he cried as he saw the CEO on the ground. He bent down and checked his pulse.  
  
"He's alive. But barely. We have to get him to a hospital!"  
  
"But Joey, he wouldn't like that... think of all the bad publicity. It'll be all over the headlines... 'Kaiba Corp CEO tries to commit suicide'."  
  
"But what else can we do?"  
  
The phone rang and Joey beckoned to Serenity, asking her to pick it up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"HI! Is that Serenity?"  
  
"Mokuba," she said quietly, "Uh... hey?"  
  
"Is my big brother there?"  
  
"He's not here right now... he went to go get something... would you like me to tell him something for you?"  
  
"Yeah... tell him I am going over Bobby's house... I won't be home today... I might sleepover there too!"  
  
"That's great, have fun kid."  
  
"Oh... I will! Bye Serenity!"  
  
"Bye Mokuba." She put down the phone with teary eyes. "Poor kid... he doesn't know yet."  
  
"Serenity, Mai should be bringing Yugi and the others over soon."  
  
"Okay Joey... I just hope they'll get here quickly."  
  
The doorbell rang. "I'll stay with Kaiba... you get it."  
  
"Okay." She ran to the door and opened it.  
  
"We came as soon as we heard!" said the group panting.  
  
"Come with me." she said softly.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"He... he... oh Yugi! He tried to kill himself!" She fell to the floor crying.  
  
"We'll handle this." said Mai and Tea. "You guys go to Kaiba."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"Over here!" said a voice. Joey came out of the room. "Come over here guys!"  
  
Yugi, Ryou, and Duke ran to the room, looking at Seto.  
  
"Is he..."  
  
"Nah... he's still alive..."  
  
"Oh... good..."  
  
"What should we do?"  
  
"Uh... call the ambulance?"  
  
"Nah... Ryou... Kaiba wouldn't like that..."  
  
"But he's..."  
  
Suddenly, the CEO began to move. He opened his eyes slowly.  
  
"Wheeler? Yugi! Bakura, Duke? What the hell are you guys doing here?"  
  
"Kaiba," asked Yugi anxiously, "why did you do this?"  
  
"I... I..." he stammered, "I... I don't deserve to live!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I... I hurt her..."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Serenity."  
  
"You did WHAT?!" Joey glared at Seto. "What did you do to her?"  
  
"I... I kissed her..." He reddened suddenly.  
  
"And you hurt her?!"  
  
"She... she hates me!"  
  
"No she doesn't." said Yugi calmly.  
  
"Yeah." added Joey angrily, "She cares about you, you jerk! Do you have any idea what she's doing right now?! She's crying for you! She thinks you're dead! If you get that into your big head, you'll realize that you don't deserve her!"  
  
"I know... I don't..."  
  
"Joey! Just shut up, okay?!" yelled Duke.  
  
"Yeah... Joey you're just making things worse!" added Ryou.  
  
"Fine... you talk to him then!"  
  
"Kaiba," said Yugi, "She loves you..."  
  
"A lot!"  
  
"Re... really?  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Wh... wh... where is she?"  
  
"Out in the hallway..."  
  
"Crying her eyes out, I might add!"  
  
"Joey!!"  
  
"Oops... sorry..."  
  
"Yu... Yugi?"  
  
"Yes, Kaiba?"  
  
"Could you... get her?"  
  
"Uh..." Yugi looked at Joey, who nodded slightly.  
  
"All right Kaiba, I'll get her." 


	11. Amended Feelings

_Every Dragon Has a Heart_ by ilukaiba (who doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)  
  
((A/N Yo! Long time no update... lolz well first of all, the updates for ALL off my fics depend on how many reviews I get on each one. I really do enjoy writing this story, but I would like to have more reviews on my personal favorite fic that I am writing, called _The Girl Next Door_. It is a Seto x Tea fic (that is a cute coupling, right?...) about... well... READ it! The updates for this and that fic will *probably* alternate... so review that fic if you want an update on this fic! And anyways, if you liked this one, I am pretty sure you'll like _The Girl Next Door_. So if your looking for a good fic, check it out! Well, now about this fic... once again, I'd like to thank my wonderful reviewers-- You guys are awesome! This fic would not be possible with out you. ^^ You've kept me interested and are my inspiration. I know you've all heard the pathetic author "thank yous" in every fic you've reviewed, but please, consider my thanks! ^^ I love you guys... Also, in case you haven't noticed, this fic is going to be over soon... within the next (*at the most*) five chappys. Heck, this might be the last (I don't know what it's about yet...) Lolz And finally, while your waiting for updates, PLEASE visit my site, Kaiba Corporation. The URL is http://kaiba-corporation.dot.nu So visit it and sign the guestbook ^^ Lolz And now I'll keep going with the long awaited... Chapter 11...))  
  
"Serenity!"  
  
Serenity looked up at Duke Devlin, who was running towards her.  
  
"Duke?"  
  
"He wants to see you now."  
  
Serenity nodded. She walked slowly to the room and went inside. She saw him, looking tired and weak.  
  
"Serenity." he gasped, his eyes lighting up as he saw her.  
  
"Seto? Are you okay?" She dropped to the floor next to him. "I was so worried Seto! I thought you were going to... to..."  
  
"Why were you worried Serenity? You hated me."  
  
"I didn't hate you, Seto." she said, looking into his deep blue eyes. "I was... just a little unsure of myself." She looked at her brother, who immediately turned away guiltily.  
  
"Yeah... I have had those kind of feelings too." said the CEO.  
  
"Joey?" whispered Yugi to his friend.  
  
"Yeah Yug?"  
  
"Let's go."  
  
"Where Yug?" The blonde looked at Yugi cluelessly.  
  
"They need time alone, Joey!"  
  
"For what?" asked the blonde blankly.  
  
"Let's go Joey." said Ryou, taking Joey's right hand while Duke took his left hand. They dragged him out of the room, and closed the door, leaving Seto and Serenity by themselves.  
  
"Wait!" said Joey suddenly. "I can't leave them alone!"  
  
"Why?!"  
  
"She's my baby sister! I have to protect her!"  
  
"Protect her from what?" said a voice, "From love?"  
  
Joey looked at Mai, who stood before him frowning.  
  
"Mai..."  
  
"Joey... you are trying to take over... make up for what your parents never did for your sister. You are just a teenager Joey... just like her. Except you allow yourself to love and have feelings for me, when you don't do the same for her and Kaiba."  
  
"Mai..." said the blonde, reddening.  
  
"Joey... she's not leaving you or anything..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Serenity... I felt so... lost... when you pushed me away that day."  
  
Serenity looked at him guiltily. "I'm sorry."  
  
"No!" He sat up slowly, never breaking their eye contact. He leaned towards her, his dark eyes gleaming.   
  
She leaned back a little, nervously anticipating an angry outburst or threat. But when his lips touched hers, her mind went blank, and she couldn't do anything to push him away.  
  
But she didn't want to.  
  
Seto held the brown-haired girl close to him, his kisses reflecting what he truly felt for her. Suddenly, she was under him, and they were on the carpet, each feeling as if they would never pull apart.  
  
"Serenity." he murmured, moving his right hand to her warm cheek.   
  
"Seto!" she gasped beneath him.   
  
"I love you." he said, kissing her with all of the passion he could possibly give. He loved the feeling of her small hands running through his dark brown hair. He wanted to take her right then and there, but knowing that her elder brother was standing outside, decided not to.  
  
He felt wet tears and pulled away from her. Silent tears rolled down Serenity's rosy cheeks.  
  
"Why are you crying? Did I do something wrong again?"  
  
Serenity moved back into his arms and wiped her tears on his shirt.  
  
"No Seto." she whispered. "Everything's just so right."  
  
Their emotions were put on hold when they heard a knock on the door.  
  
Seto straightened up his collar and dusted off his clothes. Serenity also attempted to tidy herself up. She walked to the door and opened it.  
  
"What's goin' on in here?" asked the impatient blonde.  
  
Serenity smiled at her paranoid brother. "Joey... we are just fine. I was just talking to Seto and helping him out."  
  
Seto walked up behind Serenity and put his arms around her. Joey gasped, but held himself back after feeling Mai's cold yet reassuring hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Serenity... we need to go home now." said Joey.  
  
"Now? But Joey..."  
  
"Don' worry sis... I ain't gonna keep you away from Kaiba anymore. I trust you guys... well you at least..."  
  
Serenity, Yugi, Mai, Tea, Duke, and Ryou walked out of the mansion one by one. Joey was leaving when Seto tapped him on the shoulder. Joey groaned and turned around, expecting another insult.  
  
"Thanks." muttered the CEO with embarrassment.  
  
Joey looked at him confusedly.  
  
"No really... Wheeler, thanks for giving me a chance... with your sister."  
  
Joey looked at the boy with awe and amusement. He had never imagined this would happen.  
  
Joey smiled a little. "Yeah... whatever Kaiba... you're welcome. Just take good care of her."  
  
"I will."  
  
Joey walked outside and ran to join the others.  
  
"Hey Joey?" said a familiar voice behind him.  
  
"Yeah Kaiba?"  
  
"Get the hell off of my lawn!"  
  
Joey smiled and ran onto the sidewalk.  
  
Seto watched in the distance, shaking his head amusedly. 


End file.
